Advice

The National Security Council announced a series of drastic measures. The reason for these measures is not because there is an immediate threat to your own health (with the exception of vulnerable groups), but mainly to keep the further spread of the virus controllable so that our health system is not overloaded.

- Make sure you have the facts right: from psychological research we know that people who are anxious are more likely to pay attention to elements that are worrying and magnify them. Correct this and use the official and objective information from the government: https://www.info-coronavirus.be/.

- Keep the right perspective: At the moment there are 2 real threats:
Vulnerable groups: the elderly (65+) and people who were already weakened. We need to protect them.
Overload of the health system: As a result of which essential basic care could no longer be provided or people could no longer be admitted to our hospitals. We may not be able to exclude infection, but we can eliminate - and smooth out - the peak of infection so that such overburdening can be avoided.

So there is no immediate danger to your own health!

- Stay connected: By staying connected to your environment, you can maintain a certain level of normality, share feelings and relieve stress. Encourage people to share official guidelines and information with each other in order to debunk "fake news" and not worry each other even more.

- Seek professional help: in case you are overwhelmed by feelings of anxiety, fear and that these disturb your daily life (work, personal relationships). Then contact a mental health professional, preferably a psychologist in your area. It is very important not to overload facilities and our hospitals any further at this time.

- Increase your personal safety: through a sense of self-control, to counteract feelings of unrest. Follow government guidelines on personal hygiene (e.g. hand washing), respect social distance (avoiding too many people in too small environments), etc. An overview of these measures can be found on https://www.info-coronavirus.be/.